INDIANAPOLIS — Make it an even dozen college football games. Looking to help financially strapped athletic programs make ends meet, the NCAA board of directors approved three measures Thursday, including one that adds an extra football game to the schedule beginning in 2006.

The other measures — counting another game toward bowl eligibility and loosening requirements for teams to qualify for Division I-A — are effective this fall.

"I think in terms of finances, these institutions need money for the commitments they've made," NCAA president Myles Brand said. "I think those who voted in favor of a 12th game saw it as a way to increase revenue."

Brand has turned his attention toward reining in athletic department-related expenses this year after spending his first two years championing academic reform.

But even with some opposing an extra game, arguing that it could force student-athletes to miss more classes, the board viewed the proposal as a way to create some new opportunities.

It passed 8-2, with one member abstaining.

"There was also a feeling that if you had another game, that it does give you some flexibility in your scheduling," chairman Robert Hemenway said. "A school like Oklahoma State, for instance, could possibly play a game in Tulsa or Oklahoma City and play to that fan base."

Some who criticized adding another football game also argued that it would extend the schedule.

That point has also been made by opponents of a football playoff system, but Brand insisted the NCAA had no intention of joining that debate.

"The season will not be elongated, it just means the bye week would be taken out," he said. "Nor will it lead to any additional midweek games.

"But I seriously suggest you take up the tournament situation with the BCS."

While the 12th game will be added to the schedule in 2006, the other big winners won't have to wait that long for their reward.

Schools can begin counting one victory each year against a I-AA school this fall, and smaller programs, such as those in the Mountain West and Mid-American Conferences, will be able to qualify for I-A status by reaching an average of 15,000 in either actual or paid attendance once in a two-year period.

Before Thursday, schools had to reach 15,000 in actual attendance.

Division I vice president David Berst said schools could also include students who are charged an athletic fee as part of their tuition if they attend the games.

"I think it's a case of fixing things," Brand said. "When we went to the turnstile attendance, I think we inadvertently harmed some teams because they don't control the weather. I think that's an indication that we had the wrong rule."

The board also adopted a resolution that strongly urged schools not to adopt the new Title IX Internet-based surveys, which the U.S. Department of Education said in March could be used to scientifically gauge whether schools must expand or create women's teams to meet demand.

"We felt that it was not true to the principles that have been in effect," said Hemenway, chancellor at Kansas.

The board also asked the NCAA executive committee to propose a comprehensive policy on alcohol advertising during college telecasts. Hemenway said the committee took that action after a lengthy discussion to include Division II and III events under any new standard.

On Wednesday, the American Medical Association asked the NCAA to ban all alcohol advertising. The current policy allows one minute per hour of alcohol ads and prohibits the sale or advertising of alcohol at NCAA championship events.

Other changes include giving men's basketball coaches more flexible recruiting calendars, and allowing men's and women's basketball coaches to instruct players for up to two hours per week during the offseason.

Freshmen also will be permitted to play in preseason exhibition games and keep their four additional years of eligibility as long as they do not play the rest of that season.

Also approved was an increase in the number of scholarships for women in gymnastics, soccer, volleyball and track and field. The board agreed to grant another year of eligibility to players who were academically ineligible as freshmen but completed 80 percent of their degree requirements after four years.

The committee defeated a measure that would have allowed basketball coaches to watch voluntary workouts.

Wow, a misplaced poop thread vowel would have given poop thread this topic a completely different poop thread meaning.
The NCAA is full of poop.

Ultra Peanut

04-29-2005, 12:41 PM

The 12th game was an obviously beneficial thing for all involved. It was a no-brainer to push that through.

Schools can begin counting one victory each year against a I-AA school this fall, and smaller programs, such as those in the Mountain West and Mid-American Conferences, will be able to qualify for I-A status by reaching an average of 15,000 in either actual or paid attendance once in a two-year period.Mountain West? WTF? Nobody in the Mountain West was really in danger of that, unless Wyoming or SD State were doing far worse than I thought.

The conferences that could have stood to lose teams were the MAC and Sun Belt, primarily. Maybe SJSU in the WAC (if they don't go ahead and drop football themselves). The rest of the conferences wouldn't have really been concerned about losing their own.

Saulbadguy

04-29-2005, 12:48 PM

A 12th game might not be so benificial to the fans, and especially since I-AA schools count towards bowl games.

Baby Lee

04-29-2005, 01:03 PM

Wow, a misplaced poop thread vowel would have given poop thread this topic a completely different poop thread meaning.
The Olestra Bowl. The loosest bowl around.

Ultra Peanut

04-29-2005, 01:34 PM

A 12th game might not be so benificial to the fans, and especially since I-AA schools count towards bowl games.More football = better for the fans.

Skip Towne

04-29-2005, 01:48 PM

More football = better for the fans.
That's right. We should have football 24/7. Allow each team to organize a second team to play from March thru June. Each team could double their revenues. Stadiums wouldn't sit empty 8 months per year. Let's do it!

Saulbadguy

04-29-2005, 02:05 PM

More football = better for the fans.
Sort of. If they would take out the new rule that counts an I-AA game towards a bowl berth, i'd be all for it.

Now Nebraska season ticket holders will have to fork over another $65 for a home game vs I-AA Maine.

Brock

04-29-2005, 02:11 PM

no playoff = just more bullshit.

Chest Rockwell

04-29-2005, 02:14 PM

Sort of. If they would take out the new rule that counts an I-AA game towards a bowl berth, i'd be all for it.

Now Nebraska season ticket holders will have to fork over another $65 for a home game vs I-AA Maine.

Nebraska has always had teams like that on their home sched. and Maine was on the sched. before this had any effect on it.

Nebraska at home:

2004: Western Illinois

2003: Troy, Utah State (neither is I-AA, but both from the SunBelt, and that entire confrence SHOULD be)

2002: Troy, Utah State, McNeese State

2001: Troy, Rice

So, it may just signal a turn back to the good ol' days for Cornholer fans.

Saulbadguy

04-29-2005, 02:15 PM

no playoff = just more bullshit.
Pretty much. Its all about revenue, but I still like the BCS over what the "old" system was.

I'd like them to REQUIRE all conferences to either have, or don't have a conference championship game.

Saulbadguy

04-29-2005, 02:17 PM

Nebraska has always had teams like that on their home sched. and Maine was on the sched. before this had any effect on it.

Nebraska at home:

2004: Western Illinois

2003: Troy, Utah State (neither is I-AA, but both from the SunBelt, and that entire confrence SHOULD be)

2002: Troy, Utah State, McNeese State

2001: Troy, Rice

So, it may just signal a turn back to the good ol' days for Cornholer fans.
KSU does not have any I-AA games on its slate for quite some time. NU is moving towards more, kind of a reversal in trends. Not that I feel sorry for Cornholer fans at all, but its a bad deal. Its like adding another preseason game for the Chiefs, and charging full price for it.

Chest Rockwell

04-29-2005, 02:24 PM

No, I completely agree with you about the I-AA games not counting toward bowl eligibility, but Nebraska has ALWAYS scheduled teams that could barely give Iowa School for the Blind a game. And that game's always at home, because Big Red ain't gonna risk rolling into Logan, UT at 5,000+ feet above sea level and possibly getting upset. Ask Mizzou about going on the road for one of those games.

All I was saying is, there's not a WHOLE lot of difference between teams like Maine and McNeese State, or the really lower teams in I-A like Utah State, etc.

If somebody want's to play a patsy to boost thier W-L, they can find them in I-A. Hell, a lot of teams do that early in the year.

Chest Rockwell

04-29-2005, 02:32 PM

KSU does not have any I-AA games on its slate for quite some time.

Not to be a dick...but I just looked at the KSU 2005 sched. and the first team on there is I-AA Florida International.

Granted, September is "quite some time..."

:D

Saulbadguy

04-29-2005, 02:33 PM

If somebody want's to play a patsy to boost thier W-L, they can find them in I-A. Hell, a lot of teams do that early in the year.
I agree. KSU is playing Sun Belt Florida International (or FAU..not sure..). I bet I-AA Western Kentucky would put up more of a fight.

We do have some menacing road games ahead of us though..@Marshall this year, @Fresno State at some point.

Saulbadguy

04-29-2005, 02:35 PM

Not to be a dick...but I just looked at the KSU 2005 sched. and the first team on there is I-AA Florida International.

Granted, September is "quite some time..."

:D
Heh. FIU isn't I-AA anymore. They join the Sun Belt this year. :D

Chest Rockwell

04-29-2005, 02:36 PM

I agree. KSU is playing Sun Belt Florida International (or FAU..not sure..).

North Texas is your SunBelt team...unless something has changed Florida Intl. is a I-AA independent.

Of course, something may have changed as I don't keep up with Florida Intl. too well.

Chest Rockwell

04-29-2005, 02:37 PM

Heh. FIU isn't I-AA anymore. They join the Sun Belt this year. :D

Huh...I'll be damned.

See what I was saying about the SunBelt. :D

Saulbadguy

04-29-2005, 02:38 PM

All the Sun Belt is is I-AA level schools that bigger schools can schedule.

:hmmm: I think we agree...I said pretty much the same things in my first two posts to this thread.

2003: Troy, Utah State (neither is I-AA, but both from the SunBelt, and that entire confrence SHOULD be)

Nebraska has ALWAYS scheduled teams that could barely give Iowa School for the Blind a game. And that game's always at home, because Big Red ain't gonna risk rolling into Logan, UT at 5,000+ feet above sea level and possibly getting upset. Ask Mizzou about going on the road for one of those games.